Late Night Visits
by Moderne.nouvelle
Summary: What would've happened if Nico had shown up the night Pitman came to visit Dani.


A/N: This is my first fanfiction story for Necessary Roughness so I hope you all will like it. I had this idea in my head when I watched the show. I just didn't think that Nico would've let Marshall Pitman intimidate Dani, even if he is loyal to Pitman. Spoilers for 2x02

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Wait, have you been here the whole time?" Dani asked him over the phone, rushing over to the door to greet him.

"No, Dani wait" she ignored him, and opened the door to Marshall Pitman standing there with a bottle of wine in his hand.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked with a smirk.

"I'm going need a rain-check" Dani muttered into the phone, knowing that she would be seeing him soon anyway, as Pitman walked into her house, handing her the bottle of wine that he was holding.

She sighed and motioned for him to follow her into her therapy room as she grabbed the sweater that was lying on the chair and put it on.

"So? This is where the magic happens?" he asked looking out of the door at the patio.

Dani smiled, and laughed slightly, "I take it that you've never been in therapy."

"Aside from some ill-fated marriage counseling, I am a therapy virgin, but I'm game if you are," he told her sitting down on the couch, with his arm up on the back facing her.

"Mr. Pitman…" Dani started, setting down the wine he had handed her, wondering what he was doing sitting in her house. It was one thing for Nico to show up at her house late and unannounced, but she had gotten used to that, even enjoyed the feeling of being needed; however, having Marshall Pitman show up at _10:30_ unannounced was something entirely different.

"Ah ah ah, call me Marshall," he said, suddenly looking up at her hoping to startle her.

"Marshall" Dani allowed, touching the top of the wine, not missing a beat, 'I'm assuming that you have some pressing issues to..."

Cutting her off, he explained why he was there "I need some feedback on my personnel" Dani raised her eyebrows, surprised at his arrogance thinking that he could, not only ask her about confidential information, but also show up at her home for something so unimportant.

"Coach is a little OCD don't you think? And Donnelly the trainer, I hear some gym equipment has gone missing, I'm thinking Kelpto." Dani smirked, he was playing with her. He was engaging tactics, some that she used on patients, to make her talk.

Schooling her features she answered him, "I wouldn't know they're not my patients."

"But Terrence King is" he hedged, getting to the main piece of his argument.

"I'm a therapist; I can't talk to you about my patients" she informed him, squinting slightly, aware that he knew about confidentiality, especially after she had refused to tell anyone what happened in the therapy sessions.

"You are aware that I have to make a decision about TK's future soon, a seven million dollar decision."

"Just as you are aware that my patient's records are confidential" she answered him not budging on her argument.

"You're not scared of me are you?" he asked her wondering why that was, there had to be a reason. He typically would be able to just look at an employee and they would jump to do what he wanted, but for some reason, she didn't.

Dani smiled, no, she wasn't scared of him. She sat down mirroring his position "Should I be?"

He nodded at her comment, "Well I am your boss, and with the financial pressures of a divorce…"

She wondered if it had been Nico that had told him she was getting divorced, for some reason that thought had her stomach turning. She didn't like how much he knew about her, because she knew that only one person could have told him. Even attempting to control her expression she couldn't control the surprise, and slight disappointment in her voice, "I see you've done your homework on me."

"Oh ho, I was talking about my divorce, but since we seemed to have stumbled on some common ground, what say we pop open this Mouton Rothschild and gripe about our ex's" Pitman walked over and grabbed the wine.

Dani couldn't hide the disgust in her voice when she refused him, "Well that would be a no, to TK's records and to the wine."

"That's a shame I do like to get to know my employees, personally, while they are still working for me, that is" he told her his voice humorous but his manner slightly mocking, taunting a reaction out of her.

Dani stood up, noticing the figure that had appeared behind Pitman but ignoring it, she knew what Pitman was trying to do and she was going to fight this battle on her own, "I love my job. I care about the players, but I'm not a game player, so if you're going to fire me over this, feel free to do it right now." She watched his facial features as they took in her response.

Before Pitman could respond the figure behind him stepped in, "Marshall" he stated with a voice that sounded shocked at finding him there but they all knew it was a ruse.

"Nico," Pitman answered, observing the expression on the doctor's face before turning around slowly, his voice still calm and inviting but with a hint of anger. "Fancy seeing you here, I was just having a talk with the good doctor."

"I'm sure you were" Nico answered pleasantly, angry at the relief that had come over Dr. Santino's facial features when he had arrived, he knew that he shouldn't have waited, but he couldn't decide whether or not she would approve if he broke into her house. In the end he had decided that he didn't really care. "However" Nico continued "Your lawyers would like to talk to you, something about the divorce, and TK needs to see Dr. Santino."

"Of course Nico. Thank you for telling me" Pitman responded still looking at Nico, wondering whether or not he was going to leave now that he had said his piece. When he didn't Marshall dropped his gaze from his 'opponents' face, and turned back to Dani. "Well Dr. Santino it would appear that our conversation is over, feel free to keep the wine."

"Goodbye, Mr. Pitman" Dani responded aware that the use of his last name would irk him.

Pitman gave Nico a hard look as he showed himself out. As soon as she heard the front door close, Dani sat down heavily on the couch.

"So that was Marshall Pitman," she stated, sounding tired. She hadn't been afraid of him, but she certainly hadn't been prepared for him.

"That was Marshall," Nico responded.

"I guess I understand why everyone is afraid of him, he is rather" she searched for a word for a moment "direct."

"I suppose direct is a good word to describe him," Nico agreed, coming over and squatting in front of her

"Are you alright?" He asked gently knowing that she was slightly shaken, but would never show it.

"What?" she asked, surprised at his concern, he was typically so guarded with his emotions, even with her. "Oh yeah, it takes a little more than a threatening to shake me" she reminded him knowing that he was remembering the same thing she was, when her clients bookies had threatened her.

"Yes, I do know" he answered disapprovingly, smiling at her as she laughed. He felt extremely guilty that it seemed to be only him who was putting her in danger. He had recommended the client with the bookies, and his association with not only Gabrielle but also Pitman had caused the second encounter. And while he was aware that Marshall wasn't really a threat, she shouldn't have had to be exposed to him.

It had been his fault that Marshall had been over. When he had first come to him about the Dani it had been easy to deflect and evade any questions but the second time Nico hadn't been quite as lucky, and Marshall had gotten a little too much information, which had most likely prompted the visit.

"Does TK actually need me?" she asked him, wondering whether he had made it up.

"No, but I needed an excuse to be here."

"It's a good thing you were on the phone," she told him playing with his collar slightly, straightening it.

"Yes it was," he responded pulling her up with him as he stood, kissing her on the top of her head. He released her and began to walk towards the door.

"What that's it?" she asked, "You're just going to leave me here, alone?"

"You said you were fine" he responded smirking at her slightly.

"Nico"

"Dr. Santino"

Dani glared at him.

"Dani," her gaze softened, "I have to leave, otherwise Pitman will wonder why I'm still here.

"Fine, but you owe me" she responded.

"No you owe me, it was your rain-check remember," he reminded her, walking back to where she was.

"Fine" she responded petulantly.

He lifted her chin towards him, "goodnight, Danielle" he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips before disappearing out the door.

"Goodnight Nico" she called smiling, closing the door, before suddenly realizing something. She pulled out her phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Dani?" he answered questioningly wondering what she could possibly have to say.

"Nico, how'd you get in my house?" she frowned when she heard him laughing.

"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you, and then how would I get my rain-check. Goodnight, Dr. Santino."

"Nico!" she yelled as she heard him hang up the phone. She was going to kill him the next time she saw him, even if he had just saved the day.

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A/N: I know that I changed the first line, but I really didn't like it, and I didn't think that it was something that Dani would've said to Nico. Please review!


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